


Crosshairs

by tunaqueen13



Category: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Video Game)
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Demons, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Friendship/Love, Mild Blood, Multi, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:15:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22329955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tunaqueen13/pseuds/tunaqueen13
Summary: The Lightborn Squad has encountered annoying enemy spies in the kingdom! Princess Silvanna hires the best sniper to scope them all out. Lesley Vance was honored to accept the job and she does so professionally- and even Granger couldn't complain. All is fine and good until little sparks of love happen between two stubborn adults. But underneath them, a more serious strategy for the empire's demise is being plotted. Will everything be too late when romance starts blossoming in the middle of the battlefield?
Relationships: Alucard & Miya (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang), Alucard/Estes/Miya (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang), Granger/Lesley (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang), Harith/Harley (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang), Harith/Nana (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang), Lightborn Squad - Relationship, Natalia/Tigreal (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang), Selena/Moskov (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Silvanna/Fanny (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Comments: 8
Kudos: 65





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> This is my first Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Fanfiction (that I've posted). I'm no professional writer, but I do my best. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I had enjoyed writing it. Grammar isn't perfect, so please don't expect much. Will add artwork to this fanfiction EVENTUALLY. Updates will be when I feel like it (depends on my spare time and mood, but mostly will happen every Monday or Tuesday).
> 
> Characters in this fanfic belongs to Moonton. 
> 
> Feedback is also highly appreciated
> 
> But I still I hope y'all enjoy!

Heavy rain patted down all over the city, trying to douse the countless fires that continued to burn a number of houses and vicinities of the city. Screams echoed everywhere, cries for help and terror filled the streets. The number of demons continues to grow, despite the empire’s effort to hold them back. 

Demons don’t choose their victims. They could care less if they were male, female, young or old. They are ordered to destroy everything and slay people who tried to stop them. 

Mongrels. They deserve to rot, the lot of them.

Removing her spear that was impaled in a demon, Princess Silvanna looked down at escalating ruin of her city. No, she must not feel this dread. She needs to be strong. She will protect her empire to her dying breath. 

“Your Royal Highness,” a voice said, out of breath from all the fighting. She turned to find one of her chosen Chevaliers, Alucard. Blood covered his armor, but she was assured it wasn’t his. She acknowledged him with a curt nod, her lips drawn into a tight line. 

“Still no sign of them, I presume?” She asks and Alucard shakes his head in disappointment. She huffs a breath, mostly to calm herself down, not because she was fighting her own army of demons. The pile of dead horned beings just keep lining up behind her after all. 

“No sign of them,” Alucard started. “But I did inform Fanny to keep a lookout. She has a better altitude than I do, so I’m sure she can spot them faster-” 

“Princess!” the duo turned to their new visitor, the other Chevalier, Fanny. A demon arm was clinging to her thigh and several bloody ropes were on her calf, but it didn’t seem to bother her. She was used to everybody trying to stop her, may it be human or demon, though most were unsuccessful and usually paid for it with their limbs. Her hair was messed up from the winds, and as the same with Alucard, her armor was covered in blood. She did have a number of scars on her, but she could care less. 

Princess Silvanna will look into that later. 

“I’ve spotted Granger and Lesley before she…” Fanny said, walking toward them, prying the hand and rope out of her leg. When that’s dealt with she sighed and looked at her comrades with a grim expression. “ Lesley has been compromised. And Granger has ran after them.” 

Alucard huffed a breath and scratched his head in indignation. “Well, at least that explains why we’re having difficulties here. Who got Lesley?” he asked. 

“Dyrroth.” Fanny replied. 

Not only did the Prince of the Abyss managed to capture their best scope, but Granger has gone after them to save her as well. Princess Silvanna couldn’t help feeling that this was a trap for them somehow. Picking them off one by one and killing them off individually. Looking at the chaos again, she could feel the little threads of helplessness creep around her as Thamuz appeared from afar. Even at a distance, they could all feel the ground quaking at their feet with every step he makes. 

“Oh God,” she prayed, gripping her spear. “Please guide us with your light and protect us from all evils and harm.” She felt her fear dissipated in that moment and she faced her comrades, looking at them with that bright light of courage in her eyes. 

“We will not falter! We fight, until the end!” Silvanna shouted loudly and duo nodded firmly. 

“Failure is not an option,” Fanny says, earning a grin from Alucard.

“Then shall we go? I bet Harith and Tigreal are hogging all the fun,” Alucard replied before the both of them leaped toward the battlefield. 

“I hope they both return to us soon,” Silvanna whispered to herself before leaping toward the bloody fields herself. 


	2. The Scout and The Scope

Footsteps echoed throughout the walls as Princess Silvanna walked brusquely, keeping that pace until she reached the conference hall. Upon entering, she saw one of her generals, Tigreal, his sister, Fanny, and a particular red-haired woman with a hood covering her head. 

“Your Royal Highness, we apologize for the disturbance in your duties, but we urgently need to report that there are demons present in our city,” Tigreal said seriously. He always stood so stiffly in her presence; a professional and noble general. “I’ve encountered a few of them at the borders when I was on my way back from the visit of assistance with the elves. I’ve managed to get rid of the demons, of course, but I’m afraid that some demons with special abilities have gone past my guard,” Tigreal added. Princess Silvanna could feel the disappointment in his voice toward himself as he lowered his head apologetically.

“Raise your head, general. I’m grateful for what you’ve done and it’s not your fault that some managed to slip away. Please do not blame yourself. Let’s have some of our men patrol the city.” Princess Silvanna replied, to which Tigreal nodded. 

Fanny, the beautiful blonde who looks nothing like her brother, stepped forward and directly looked at the princess with green eyes filled with determination. “Your Royal Highness, I, too, will patrol, _both_ the city and border,” 

Ah, yes, of course. Fanny and her deadly cables. She can no doubt provide great help for the cause. Princess Silvanna gave her a nod and a smile, and was rewarded by a small hint of blush from her. 

“You may do so, Fanny. That’ll help a lot,” Princess Silvanna said. Then her gaze fell to the red-haired woman who was still silent. 

Tigreal cleared his throat. “Your Royal Highness, may I introduce you to one of my trusted allies, Natalia.” 

Princess Silvanna studied her curiously. Aside from the red hair, she had blue eyes and a huge claw on her left hand, not being subtle that it was her weapon of choice. 

“It is an honor to be in your presence, your Royal Highness. I came here to offer my assistance as well,” Natalia said, her voice smooth deep and smooth, like caramel. “As well as to offer some ideas to aid our patrols.” she added. 

Princess Silvanna gave a curt nod, willing her to continue speaking. 

“I suggest that I will follow the demons, as I suspect that there may be a nest nearby. I will look into as to why there’s a sudden spread of them,” 

Tigreal’s lips were set to a rigid straight line when Natalia said that, the princess noticed. “And how are you going to achieve that? It would be unwise to follow a demon returning home to its nest, even if it’s just a possibility,” Princess Silvanna pointed out, bringing her hands together as she always does when she contemplates something.

“Your Royal Highness, I’ve mastered the art of concealment. They won’t be able to see me even when I’m in front of them,” Natalia said and looked at Tigreal, who reluctantly nodded in agreement.

“I can attest to her stalking skills, you Royal Highness. She’s no Fanny, but if we were to send a scout out, the best person would be her,” Tigreal said, sighing in designation. He got a small smile from Natalia in return. 

“Subtlety is my specialty,” Natalia said, her smile widening. 

Princess Silvanna hummed to herself. It would be highly dangerous to send out one person alone out there, especially when she’s never seen this woman before in the battlefield. But in this case, she was right. It’s more about being subtle, than strong in numbers. 

“Alright. But you must never stray too far away. If ever there’s a nest, you need to report it to me. We will send you out there, but you need men to be close toward the mouth of the nest. Am I understood?” She said authoritatively and Natalia nodded in return. 

“I would also like to suggest that you hire a sniper in your midst,” Natalia said and Fanny nodded. 

“It’s a good idea, your Royal Highness. I’ve heard that Lesley from the Vance household is the best sniper in our city. It’s said her skills can even scope out invisible targets,” Fanny pointed out. 

“I also think that’s a good idea, your highness. Granger could need some assistance in the range department,” Tigreal said, earning a bark of laughter from Fanny. 

“He’ll be annoyed when he hears you said that, you know,” Fanny said, a wide grin splashed on her face. 

“I never doubted Granger’s skills. I firmly believe he’s an excellent marksman, but everyone could use all the help they can get,” Princess Silvanna said, and nodding to Fanny. “Please look for Miss Vance, inform her that we are in need of her assistance, and have her report to the castle immediately. Also speaking of Granger, where is he?” 

“Last I heard he was on a mission with Harith, but they should be coming home today. You know how they both are when it comes to missions. They never play around. Okay, maybe except Granger when he feels like torturing those criminals,” Fanny said, earning another small smile from Princess Silvanna. “And I think I’ll be taking my leave now. Need to look for Miss Vance,” Fanny bowed to the princess, then nodded to her brother and to Natalia, before running toward the balcony window and leaping out of it. 

“I will also prepare for my departure as well, your Royal Highness. I’ll report to you immediately when I find something,” Natalia said, bowing to the princess before glancing at Tigreal, which he barely acknowledged, and left. 

After hearing the conference doors close, Princess Silvanna sighed. “I’m just as nervous as you are, Tigreal. I hope you don’t think ill of me for sending her out,” She said. 

Tigreal shook his head. “Of course not, your Royal Highness. I’m just...worried. But I know she’s capable of what she’s doing,” Tigreal replied and bowed to her. “I’ll be taking my leave now as well. I need to send more men at the borders and to make sure no more demons enter our perimeter.” 

“Thank you, General.” Princess Silvanna said, and Tigreal nodded at her one last time before walking out of the conference room. 

Princess Silvanna walked towards her balcony and looked at the view of her city. She vowed that nothing bad will ever happen, but why does she feel this...dread?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest exit not that far away, Lesley was hiding. Of course, she didn’t want to be seen. Her brother is quite perceptive, after all. 

What was he thinking? Going after his friend like that and just leaving a note saying he’ll go raid a camp of bandits? Was he trying to kill her with worry? 

Pushing the leaves aside from the bush she was hiding in, she could see Harley talking quite loudly to another boy with...cat ears?

“Well, they seem to be quite close,” Lesley whispered to herself. That must’ve been the friend he meant in the note he left. She was about to move closer until she felt something approaching. Something _fast._

Readying her rifle, she braced herself, only to find a certain blonde landing in front of her. Her hair swept messily by the winds and her cables retracting to the machinations by her waist. When she looked at Lesley, her green eyes sparkled with delight, as if she was happy to see her. Of course, Lesley knows her. Fanny always had a reputation of being the deadliest assassin in the city and she remembers she’s a sister to one of the royal family’s generals. 

“Miss Vance, am I right? I’m Fanny” The blonde smiled, extending a hand out towards her. Lesley pursed her lips and set her rifle to her other hand to shake her hand. 

“Please, call me Lesley. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Lesley replied. “Is there something you need?” 

Fanny stepped back in surprise and brought her hand to her chin, contemplating. “Funny, I was going to ask you to come with me. You’re quite sharp. Do other people only come to you when they need something?” She asked nicely. 

Lesley shrugged. “Jobs here and there. And I don’t really frequent speaking with people, unless professionally. Why did you need me to come with you?” 

Fanny’s expression turned serious then. “Right, on to business. We have found demons trespassing our borders and some have gone past our defenses. Her Royal Highness, Princess Silvanna, is requiring your assistance.” Fanny smiled a little, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “She’s planning to hire the best sniper. Is it true you can scope out even the invisible ones? I’m just genuinely curious,” Fanny added. 

Lesley gave her a nod. She knew people talked about it. That’s why people hire her, for her deadly accuracy. “When do you need me to report in?” 

“As earliest as you can manage. When do you think would that be?” Fanny replied. 

“After...an early dinner,” Lesley said after some thoughts. She turned her back, looking at Harley, her brother, who was walking away with his cat-like friend. 


	3. The Encounter

“Okay, but seriously, did you see the look on Granger’s face? It was hilarious!” Harith exclaimed and Harley laughed with him. 

“It was! He looked so insulted when the bandits just begged him to stop playing his violin! Poor guy, but he plays...not that good,” Harley replied and Harith just waived it off. 

“Yeah, that’s the point though. He _is_ distracting. Well, at least we got what we came for. The elven kingdom will be safe for now. They were planning on raiding the elven shrines after all,” Harith said, his tail flicking proudly. “Just additional precautions from Tigreal. But I get the feeling everything will settle down for a while- “ 

“Harith! You’re back!” Harith was cut off by Fanny, who was about to report to the princess but saw the furball. “And who’s your little friend?” She asked, pointing down at Harley. 

“My name is Harley Vance, pleased to meet you, fair lady!” Harley grabbed Fanny’s hand and pecked it gently and Fanny barked a laugh. 

“How adorable! You’re going to be a lady killer, aren’t you? Also did you say Vance? I just spoke with your sister a minute ago. She wasn’t far from here,” Fanny replied, grinning at him. Harley blinked at her in return, then his expression turned mortified. 

“D-Do you mean she _followed_ me?!” Harley asked, in shock and in horror. “Oh no, she’s going to kill me when I get home! Harith, please accompany me back to my house!” Harley said desperately, clinging to his arm. 

“Wha- hey, let go, Harley! And I can’t! I have to report back to Tigreal,” Harith replied, pushing Harley’s head away from him. 

“And she mentioned an early dinner. I believe she has appointments after that. It might be best to go home now,” Fanny said. She couldn’t help it. Harley was fun to tease. “I can tell your sister loves you very much, you know. She probably won’t kill you,” 

“ _Probably?!_ ” Harley exclaimed. “She’ll probably give me roasted asparagus again for dinner. They taste so gross! It’s always her way of reprimanding me,” Harley said and releasing Harith’s arm. He sighed, and bowed courteously at Fanny. “Fair Lady, thank you for letting me know. I’ll...prepare myself and make my way home now.” 

Fanny had to suppress her urge to laugh. The boy looked like he was ready to cry. Harith could only feel bad for him. “I assume you snuck out again. You might really deserve those roasted asparagus. Besides, they’re quite healthy,” Harith pointed out and Fanny agreed with him. 

Harley bid his friends farewell and left, the duo waving farewell. Fanny’s expression then turned serious when Harley was out of sight. 

“I need to speak with you,” she said.

Harith sighed. “And here I thought everything will settle down for a while,” he said, ear flattening on the top of his spiky hair. Fanny smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. 

“I think it’s better if I inform you when Granger is here. Speaking of that, where _is_ he?” Fanny asked. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lesley quietly hid herself the bush. She could sense a presence in her midst, and one that made her uncomfortable. She couldn’t see them, no matter where she looked. ‘ _It must be one of the demons Fanny told me about_ ,’ she thought to herself. Taking a deep breath, she knelt and ignored all of her senses, concentrating only at the unfamiliar presence that she can’t see.... 

_‘Found you_.’ 

It was a demon, but bleeding profusely, basically on the verge of death. It would be best to put it out of its misery. Lesley fired her rifle, killing it off. The demon let out an agonized shriek before collapsing to the ground. 

Now, she really needs to go home. Releasing the breath she was holding, she stood, picked her rifle up, and started on her way home. 

And he saw everything. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Granger was attempting to kill an annoying demon who keeps hiding, and was about to finish it off until it scurried away. He chased after it, but was about to give up on it until he heard gunshots, but more...muted. More like a sniper rifle. 

He turned his head and she was there, kneeling as she finished off the almost-invisible demon with three shots. He’s a bit far away from her, so all he could see was her ridiculously long red hair.. He knew it was over when the demon let out a horrible shriek of agony. When the job was done, she simply stood up, gathered her rifle, and walked away. 

“There you are! Why are you hiding there for?” Fanny said, appearing behind him. He grunted in response. 

“I just had to look into something. I told Harith and Harley to go ahead” Granger replied and started walking. “I need to report to Tigreal. Mission with Harith is all good and done,” He added and Fanny nodded, pleased. 

“My brother will be glad to hear that, but we have more pressing matters. Also, I suggest you prepare yourself. We have something urgent going on, and the princess requests us to all be there.” Fanny replied, following after him. 

He simply hummed a response, the sight of the red-haired woman filling his head. “Is there something going on?” 

“We’ll all explain it later. Dinner at the castle, okay?” Fanny said before running off. 

  
_‘Well then, might as well make it quick,’_ Granger said before running off towards the direction of the castle.


	4. The Meeting

A few hours later, in the Vance household, Lesley gave an earful sermon to Harley, who once again left without her permission. As punishment, all he had for dinner was roasted asparagus, steamed peas, mashed potatoes with no gravy, and unsweetened apple juice. He finished everything, though he looked like he was going to be sick. 

“Harley, I need to let you know, I’m being summoned by the princess as she is in need of my services.” Lesley started, looking at her dejected brother at the other side of the table while she wiped the corner of her mouth after eating their early dinner. It’s barely five o’clock in the afternoon. “I think it’s best if you stay over at Bruno’s while I’m gone. I’m sure you’ll be safe there.” 

Harley hummed, spinning the apple juice in his glass. “How long do you think that will be?” He asked. He’s worried about his sister after all. She might need him.

Lesley considered this. She wasn’t exactly sure, but she doesn’t usually go away for more than a week. “Probably several days. I can’t really say. But I promise to visit you often when I can. Can you promise me that you’ll stay at Bruno’s while I’m gone?” 

Harley sighed. As much as Lesley is protective, he’ll miss her so much. He finished off his apple juice and hopped off the chair then walked to his sister to give her a warm hug. “As long as you promise me you’ll be safe?” Harley replied. 

Lesley smiled and kissed Harley’s hair. She’s the only one who can touch his precious hair. “I promise to always keep myself safe. I’ve already contacted Bruno to come pick you up, okay? Lolita might be tagging along, so they can both keep you from getting bored.” Lesley hugged Harley one more time before standing up, and she smiled down at him. “I’ll fix my stuff now, okay? Now go brush your teeth,” Lesley said patting Harley by the shoulders and Harley did what he was told. 

Going to her room, she packed several clothes, her rifle and several boxes of bullets. She packed light, if not for the bullets.

She called one of their servants and instructed that Bruno and Lolita will be picking Harley up. They are not to open the doors unless it’s them. 

And with that, she sets off for the castle. It was the golden hour. The view is beautiful and one thing she loves apart from night time are sunsets. Picking her stuff, she started walking. 

The castle isn’t that far away. She was okay with walking until a carriage stopped by and a certain blonde peeked her head out of the carriage door. “Hop in! We’ll be your ride!” Fanny shouted, and Lesley smiled in thanks as she gratefully took the ride. 

Tigreal, was also there, but his mood seemed dark. Lesley just gave him a courteous greeting and Fanny talked more about demons in the city. Apparently several of Tigreal’s men have found them wandering around, but they disappear as soon as they are found. 

“I managed to kill one this afternoon, though it was already gravely injured when I killed it. All I can say is, you’re right. They can’t easily be seen. It’s like they melt in the shadows. I’d be glad to help you out for this mission.” Lesley said, smiling respectfully at the siblings. 

“We’re here.” Tigreal said as the carriage halted. He stepped out of the carriage first, with Fanny and Lesley behind him. When they entered the great hall, Princess Silvanna was already there, along with that a little boy that seemed familiar, because of the cat ears, and tall, blond man who was smiling at them. He seems like he’s an easy-going type of guy. 

“Miss Vance, I’d like to thank you for agreeing to help me for this cause.” Princess Silvanna smiled at her. Her voice was lovely and gentle, and she was more beautiful up close, Lesley noticed. She had long ash-blonde hair, several strands framing her heart-shaped face. She had deep blue eyes and her complexion is perfect; not a freckle, not a pore was visible. And she was  _ tall _ . 

“Your Royal Highness, it’s an honor of mine to offer my services to you. And it’s a pleasure to meet you in person,” Lesley bowed gracefully. Princess Silvanna’s smile turned into a grin. 

“Just think of this as one of your jobs. You’ll be paid with a huge sum as well, as I consider this job as very dangerous. Always think of your safety first, at all times. And I would be at ease if you are with one of my chosen chevaliers at all times. I believe you’ve met Fanny, and her brother is Tigreal, the general that I trust the most of all,” the princess said, gesturing at Fanny and Tigreal.

Lesley nodded at the siblings again and Princess Silvanna gestured behind her. “This is Alucard, and I believe he’s one of the strongest knights I’ve ever encountered. And of course, Harith, our very own genius mage.” Silvanna said, proudly. 

“You must be Harley’s sister! He’s a good friend of mine,” Harith said extending a hand out and Lesley took it. So he really was that boy earlier. She gave Harith a small smile. 

“Thank you for being Harley’s friend. I know he’s a trouble-maker most of the time…” 

“Oh no! Harley’s the best actually. And you don’t really need to worry. We did go with Granger after all and he’s really capable!” Harith said excitedly. Lesley doesn’t know who this Granger guy is, but she deemed him a good person if he can tolerate two kids,  _ especially _ her brother, during their missions. 

“Ah, there he is! Granger, come say hi!” Harith exclaimed and Lesley turned around. 

He was...good-looking. Not that she can say much, since half of his face is covered. He has this scar on his left eye and he looked tired, but she could see he had brown, reddish eyes? 

But he had that look of surprise plastered on his face (at least his eyes showed it). Did she have something on her face? Or maybe it’s her hair? 

“Granger, this is Miss Lesley Vance. She’ll be aiding us with our ongoing concern with demons wandering in the city,” Princess Silvanna supplied, raising an eyebrow at Granger’s reaction. 

Granger cleared his throat and walked toward her. He reaches out a bandaged hand to her and she took it cautiously, thinking his hand might not be okay. “I’m Granger. Pleased to meet you Miss Vance,” he said gently, though there was no trace of a smile in his voice. 

“Same here, Mister Granger. I’ll do my best to help her Royal Highness and you chevaliers of wiping out the demons.” Lesley replied curtly. 

Granger gave her a nod. “Just Granger is fine. And yes, I saw your work earlier this afternoon. Your skills will be really convenient for us to utilize.” 

Lesley raised her eyebrows and gave him a questioning look. “I’m...sorry, you saw my work?” 

She couldn’t see it that much, but it seemed like he was making a one-sided grin, but it disappeared almost instantly. “Miss Vance has killed a demon earlier this afternoon. I was chasing it down but it slipped past me. Apparently, she was in the area and just finished it off. The demon had this habit of being nearly invisible then appearing as shadows, but she saw it,” Granger looked directly at her eye. “She made it quick and...efficient. It was impressive, to say the least,” Granger ended. 

Lesley swallowed. Was he always this...intense? 

No one saw it but, Alucard was hiding his snickering. There goes Granger trying to intimidate everyone again. Even the princess couldn’t hide her smile. Tigreal and Fanny nodded to themselves, pleased to hear about Lesley’s skills. 

“That is most brilliant to hear. Then Miss Vance certainly is the best sniper in the city. I’m glad you’ll be working for us.” Princess Silvanna said, with Fanny smiling along. 

“Will Harley be here as well?” Harith inquired. Lesley gave him an apologetic smile. 

“I’m sorry Harith, I wasn’t aware he was a close friend of yours. I sent him over to one of his other friends, as I might not be home for a while. He has a track record of being a troublemaker, so Lolita and Bruno, hopefully, can control him. I worry about him a lot,” 

“Harley is a great magician, you don’t need to worry about him,” Granger said. “He helped us out earlier with camp of bandits who were about to raid the elven shrines. You must be a proud sister.” 

Lesley bit the inside of her cheek. Of course she knows he’s a great magician. He’s shown Lesley all his tricks. But she’ll worry. He’s the only family she has left. “Yes I know. Thank you for keeping him safe. He tends to not let me know where he goes.” 

There it was again, that one-sided grin she thinks that is there, but it disappears suddenly. She then felt an arm over her shoulders, and heard a deep chuckle. 

“Now now, Granger, don’t intimidate her too much, especially when we’ll be in her care for the duration of this mission, right Miss Vance?” Alucard said with an easy grin but she sees Granger roll his eyes in exasperation. She smiles a little and gently pushes his arm off her shoulders. 

“Please do forgive Alucard’s rudeness. He’s always like that whenever he encounters attractive ladies. Now if you’ll excuse me,” Granger said, before walking off towards the princess to give his greetings. 

Did...did he just call her  _ attractive? _

Alucard clicked his tongue and pointed at Granger while looking at her. “If he ever bullies you, let me know, okay? That demon might’ve pissed him off earlier. It was a good move you killed it before it could run away even further, so good job” Alucard grins at her and gives her a friendly and encouraging pat on the shoulder. “And you might really be impressive. I’ve never heard Granger talk that much for a short amount of time.” Alucard whispered, so only she could hear. Lesley could 

“Miss Vance, you might be hungry. We have dinner ready, if you’re interested. It would be best to know more about our allies. I believe it brings us closer together. But only if you’re comfortable.” Princess Silvanna said with a lovely smile.

_ Uh-oh _ .She’d rather not have that. “Please, Your Royal Highness, please call me Lesley. And I’m sorry to admit, but I’ve already eaten with my brother. I’m open to the idea of speaking with all of you, but I’d rather not say some...things due to personal reasons,” Lesley said and she bit her lower lip to stop herself from rambling on. She swears she could feel Granger’s gaze bore into her. 

The princess could only nod in understanding. “Then please do join us for dessert. I won’t press any personal questions. Just a brief background about your work is fine for now,” she said, making her way towards the dining hall, followed by Tigreal, and Granger. 

Fanny chuckled and loops her arm around Lesley’s arm, a friendly gesture while Alucard and Harith gave her warm smiles. “Don’t worry, Lesley. We won’t bite! We’re practically going to be watching each other’s back until this blows over, so you can rely on all of us here,” Fanny said cheerfully as they walk towards the dining hall. Lesley could only smile back awkwardly. 

“Yeah, Lesley, and it would be really fun if Harley was here! We’ll keep him safe, I promise!” Harith added and Lesley chuckled. 

“Hmm, I’ll think about it,” Lesley replied. 

The trio continued to make small talk until they arrived at the dining hall and the princess said grace over their bountiful food. Looking at them gathered like this, she could easily imagine them as a family. Even when they are eating dinner and made casual conversation, the relaxing ease, the warm ambience and the friendly laughters made her night. Once in a while, Princess Silvanna, Fanny and Harith would ask her questions about her work here and there and she answered them honestly. Alucard was mostly teasing and laughing, whereas Tigreal and Granger were nearly quiet the entire course of the whole dinner. 

But once in a while, she couldn’t help herself from sneaking a glance at Granger. There was a silent grace to him, and he zipped his collar off, revealing his whole face so he could eat. He  _ was _ handsome, only a fool could claim otherwise. He had the sharp cheekbones and jawline underneath that collar. And his lips were thick and inviting…

She snapped from her trance when she finds Granger looking at her, giving her a questioning look. She cleared her throat and went back to fidgeting with her panna cotta, pretending it nothing happened. 

“Thank you very much for joining us for dinner, Lesley. I’ll have Harith deliver you to your quarters while you’re working here. You must be tired from all the attention. Of course, your quarters has a separate bathroom for your convenience and security. And your room will be close to Granger’s and Fanny, so I hope you won’t mind that.” Princess Silvanna said before standing up. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I, too, shall retire for the evening. Feel free to lounge around if you feel restless,” she added and Granger stood up. 

“I’ll take you to your room, you Royal Highness. Silvanna smiled at him in return. Lesley felt uneasy about that. 

And she doesn’t know why. 


	5. The Misunderstanding

Was he _avoiding_ her or something? 

Lesley couldn’t help thinking about it. Did she do something wrong? 

And what’s bothering her more is her sudden awareness about this. She wouldn’t normally give a damn about someone avoiding her. But she convinced herself that she _should_ be aware, because they’re working together, after all. 

Granger was almost non-verbal with her and kept their conversations brief and minimal when they’re together. But when he doesn’t need to be with her, he goes out of his way to avoid her, simply sticking to the princess’s side. 

It’s making her anxious, to say the least. 

_‘No. You need to remain focused at hand,’_ Lesley thought to herself. 

“Found anything?” 

Lesley desperately tried to stop herself from grinding her teeth together. Granger was behind her, looking at her as if he was bored. Fanny was there too, but she was preoccupied with her thoughts. Alucard was with the princess inside the castle, so she won’t be alone. 

“Nothing over there. Let me look at the other side of the balcony,” she replied, feeling Granger’s gaze on her back again. He grunted a response, and Fanny merely hummed. 

Over the last three days she was at the castle, she and the chevaliers had managed to scope out six demons lurking nearby the castle. But all she did was to locate them. Alucard, Fanny and Granger didn’t seem to have any trouble finishing the fiends off. 

Tigreal and Harith were at the borders, awaiting for Natalia’s return from the mouth of the Abyss when she entered there yesterday. She could tell that Tigreal’s been distracted lately as well. This Natalia person might’ve been close to him, or something. 

Lesley only encountered her once with Tigreal, when she was done for the day and was making her way back to her quarters. She overheard Tigreal and a woman’s voice, both of them conversing in hushed tones. She silently walked away, would prefer not to eavesdrop and just to respect their privacy.

“Well, let’s move it along then,” Granger said, snapping her out of her reverie. She nodded in response as she walked off to the other side of the balcony, and knelt down. She took a deep breath, then she positioned herself along with her rifle, losing herself. She couldn’t sense anything but still held her position like that for a few more minutes. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lesley on her knee with her trusty rifle, wind sweeping her long, braided hair. It has a certain beauty to it, one that makes him hold his breath while he admires her. She has that certain pull, and he couldn’t help himself getting sucked in with her at the moment. 

And he doesn’t even know why. 

When she shifted her body a little bit, he swallowed and looked at the other something. Anything really, just not at _her_. 

“Nothing as well. It seems peaceful for today,” she said while standing up, and wiping the small amount of dust on her wonderfully-shaped knee…

“I see. Should we retire for the day then?” Granger replies, burying his face in his collar. Lesley was looking at him worriedly, but was silent about it. Whatever though that was on her head, she didn’t voice it out. 

“It’s only ten in the morning, Granger. I know you want to finish this as soon as possible, but there are things that are out of your control,” Fanny said, leaning casually at the wall. Princess Silvanna then steps into the balcony, with Alucard behind her and Fanny straightens herself. 

“Yo! The air seems dead around here. Did you need my company?” Alucard said, grinning happily at them. Granger could only roll his eyes and walk toward the Princess. 

Princess Silvanna smiled at Lesley. “Nothing interesting happening today, I guess. Why don’t you invite your brother over? I’m sure he misses you, and he’ll be safe here,” the princess suggested. Lesley smiled in return. 

“I bet he’ll enjoy that, your royal highness. He’s fond of entertaining people with his magic, after all. I’ll go pick him up later, if you wouldn’t mind. I do miss him,” Lesley replied. 

“Why not go now? Alucard can go with you. Take this moment to be on the lookout as well. Some demons might be out of your range to see. I see this as a win-win. Don’t you agree, Granger?”

He grunted before nodding, barely sparing a small glance at Lesley, then stared coolly at Alucard. 

“I’ll keep her safe, don’t worry,” Alucard said as Princess Silvanna laughed gently.

“Well, we’ll see you later at supper, Lesley. I’m sure Harith would be really surprised to see Harley here as well,” the princess said casually as she smiles at everyone one last time, lingering just a little bit with Fanny, then stepped back into the castle with Granger following. 

After a bit of walking, Princess Silvanna stopped, with Granger stopping as well. 

“Granger, the air seems heavy between you and Miss Vance. Did something happen?” She asked and nearly choked on air. Granger cleared his throat and said an abrupt “No,” in reply. Chuckling, princess Silvanna turned and gave Granger a firm pat on the shoulder. 

“Time will tell what will be, but never stop what’s in here,” the princess said, smiling at him, pointing at his chest. 

Granger sighed. “I just happen to see her napping yesterday,” 

“Ah, I bet miss Vance was a sight, wasn’t she?” Princess Silvanna teased and turned around, giggling. She went back to walking to the conference hall before he could even reply. “That aside, we have a special guest incoming tomorrow, so I would like everyone to be on guard duty and keep on all of your toes.” 

“Oh? Who will it be, if I may ask?” 

“You’ll know.” She replied with a smile. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lesley’s shoulders slumped as she released a long breath. Alucard could only chuckle. 

“There seems to be some sort of tension between you two. What happened?” Alucard asked. Lesley shrugged her shoulders in response. 

“Believe it or not, I think I saw him watching you sleep yesterday afternoon,” Fanny pointed out, her tone bored. Lesley could only blink at her. 

“God, Granger, talk about creepy.” Alucard pointed out, shaking his head. 

“Is he mad that I took a nap in the middle of the afternoon? I mean, I do get tired after I use my skills repetitively after all…” Lesly replied with a worried look on her face. “Oh no. What if he tells that to the princess? She’ll probably think I’m slacking off.” 

Fanny waved the thoughts away. “Nonsense. You work just as hard as everybody here. I’m sure your...skills leave you tired.” 

“Mentally, yes. It actually does,” Lesley admitted with a soft smile. Alucard smiled back and gave her a pat on the head. “Can I ask you guys something?” Lesley added. 

“Shoot.” Fanny replied nonchalantly. 

Lesley hummed and held her chin in a contemplative pose. “The Princess and Granger seems really close. Are they...Could they possibly be…” 

“If you’re asking if they’re dating or not, they’re not.” Fanny interrupted, blushing a little bit. 

“Oh, alright. It just made me curious.” Lesley said, earning a grin from Alucard. 

“Curious or Jealous?” Alucard teased and Lesley’s mouth gaped in shock. 

“But I’m not jealous, I was really just cu-” 

“Come on now, let’s go get your brother. We might even spot some demons along the way! That, I’m excited about,” Alucard said interrupting her and Lesley nodded, her cheeks reddening. “Fanny, you coming?” he added and the blonde simply sighed. 

“Nah, I’m going to scout out perimeters again, might drop by to where the furball and Tig are. Take care, you two.” Fanny replied, making a small salute with two fingers before jumping off the balcony and flying far away. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few hours later, Alucard and Lesley were walking on a small dirt road towards Bruno’s, making friendly conversation along the way. They were nearing their destination when Alucard felt like he stepped into something with mud-like consistency. When he looked down at where he stepped on, he saw the ground still looked the same, but the image of it was somehow watery. Realization dawned on him on what it was and he pushed Lesley back, making the lass stagger backwards. 

“It’s a trap! Go, run!” Alucard shouted and a demon-like shadow monster appeared from the bottom of his foot, taking a huge bite at his boots, penetrating it with its long fangs. Alucard screamed in pain as blood started pooling at his foot while the creature slowly vanished into thin air, and he fell to the ground. Lesley panickingly reached out to Alucard, grabbing his arm to pull him up. 

“What was that? Come on, get up! We need to take cover!” Lesley shouted as she places his arm over his shoulder and her arm around his waist to support him while walking. Alucard groaned every time he took a step with his injured leg, but he wasn’t hesitating on walking slowly. “Harley! Bruno! Can you hear me?” Lesley shouted and the door of the house opened, Harley peeking from inside. Realizing it was his sister, he immediately opened the door and ran out towards them. 

“Big sis?! What happened?” Harley asked as he looked at them, also placing Alucard’s other hand over his shoulder to help his sister. Alucard wasn’t a small man after all. 

The siblings conversed in a panicked state, but Alucard remained vigilant. He looked at their surroundings. It was a trap, he was sure of it. Surely the caster of that trap was somewhere nearby. 

Before he could even think of other things, he saw another similar demon-like shadow monster, flying towards Lesley. He gasped and pushed her away, taking the blow. 

He couldn’t move. He couldn’t feel his body. His muscles are all stiff, and he feels suffocated. Alucard fell down to the ground again, his body not moving. 

“Alucard!” Lesley said, reaching out to him but Harley stopped her. 

“Stop! You might get stunned like him!,” Harley exclaimed as he looked around. “We don’t know the effects of this...thing, so I think it’s better to be safe than sorry,” he added. They were dealing with someone dangerous and they can’t even see where this was from. 

“Go..g-go inside…” Alucard muttered, his words barely audible. 

“Where’s Bruno?” Lesley asked her brother and Harley shook his head. 

“They went out to buy some groceries. We have to handle it ourselves for now,” Harley replied as he continued to scan their surroundings. Lesley grabbed her rifle and was about to use her scope, but she heard a giggle from somewhere. Turning, she was aiming her rifle, but doesn’t even see anyone there. 

“Oh dear, I caught just one? I must be losing my touch,” a feminine voice said and the siblings turned toward the direction of where they heard it from. She was still in hiding, but they can see her shape from afar. 

The next thing she notices is a monster-shaped shadow flying towards Harley. 

“No!” Lesley shouted and was about to push Harley out of the way, but her brother escaped by himself. His hat was there in his place, and she knew her brother was engaging in battle. She’s seen it plenty of times. Harley was back a few seconds later, tiny scratch marks on his arms, as if he barely escaped something. He was on the alert again, so it must mean that the enemy must have relocated somewhere else. 

A strong gust of wind blew in their direction carrying a hauntingly sweet giggle with it. 

The next thing she knew, she couldn’t move. 

“Gotcha,” the voice said. She emerged running, and they saw her. 

A dark elf. She clapped her hands and something landed on Lesley’s feet. It was the same watery image of the ground Alucard has seen. Grunting, he tried to move, but couldn’t. 

Lesley couldn’t move, her muscles were stiff and she could barely breathe. Then she screamed as she felt something biting at her lower calves. The dark elf’s giggles turned into a deeper, maniacal laugh as she transformed into an abyssal demonness. 

“ _Think you can escape me_?” she said, pursuing them in an accelerating speed. 

But Harley was there, and before she could come near Lesley, the morphing dark elf was surrounded by a ring of fire. 

“ _W-what the?_ ” She exclaimed. 

“Don’t you dare touch me or my sister!” Harley shouted as he showered her with his sharp cards and the demoness yelled in pain, and Harley’s fire ring enveloped her closer until it exploded around her. 

Harley stood in front of Lesley protectively and Alucard could feel the sensation of his muscles again. Twitching, he slowly stood up and prepared his sword for battle but the dark elf seemed injured enough from Harley’s attack.

She was back to her normal dark elf form, bleeding and skin scorched in certain places. She was looking at them in annoyance. 

“Too bad. I was going to keep you for myself because you’re cute.” She told Alucard before transforming again and dashing back into the trees and vanishing. 

Alucard wanted to chase her, but some parts of his body was still having difficulty making big movements. “I’ll get you next time,” He whispered to himself. 

When he turned slowly, Lesley was at the ground and Harley was hovering over her. 

“She fainted,” Harley said gently, but he was frowning. “Oh big sis, what am I going to do with you?” Harley faced Alucard and tilted his head. “...can you help me carry her? Her legs need attention.” 


	6. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is highly appreciated :)

Meanwhile, in the depths of the mouth of the abyss... 

“ _Scoop out information, Natalia. You can do this,”_ She thought to herself as she proceeded to walk deeper. The heat was almost unbearable and it was a little suffocating, but nothing she couldn’t handle. There were abyssal guards on standby, as she expected, so she was careful with making any noise. 

As she walked deeper, the sounds of growling and guttural screaming could be heard. She hid in the shadows as she walked. Several demons walked past her, running towards their destination. She hastened her pace and eventually led to what she thinks was the meeting hall. 

There was one...person in the middle of it all. He looked like a severely morphed human, forcibly turned into a demon. There were horns growing out of his head, his eyes looked different from each other. His torso was humane enough, except that there was that strange-looking gem lodged in the middle of his chest. Spiky thorns adorned his shoulders and wrists, and he had a thick, spiky tail. Natalia deduced that he must have been their leader as all other similar-looking demons gathered around and below him. 

“You imbeciles! You can’t even properly scope out our enemies! You all deserve to be tormented!” He yelled loudly, and the other demons cowered before him. Then the ground shook, as Natalia heard heavy footsteps coming from one of the empty halls behind their “leader”. 

“Hmph, Thamuz, we need to prepare for attack. Forget about plotting for strategies anymore, these cretins can’t even handle a simple task. We shall bring the empire down to its knees nonetheless! We are stronger now, stronger than ever!” He said, as a huge figure of fire and stone emerged. Natalia had to bite her lower lip to hide her shock.

The...thing said some grumbling words, too rough for even Natalia to understand. The guy shook his head at him. That was _talking_? 

“Alice is not here, I recall her saying she needs to retrieve a person out of prison from somewhere.” The leader said. 

Natalia could only hear grumbling responses from this “Thamuz” being. One thing was for sure, he looks absolutely dangerous, because all the demons were on their knees when he emerged. 

“We strike in five days! Prepare the armories and weaponries! We shall burn the empire down to ashes!” He yelled loudly then letting out a maniacal laugh. 

The demons cheered and hissed “All hail, Prince Dyrroth!” 

She wanted to move closer, have a better view of this place so she can scope out weapons, maps and strategies, but a man passed by her. He peered at her invisible location, yellow eyes squinting at her direction. 

“ _He couldn’t possibly have seen me here,”_ Natalia thought to herself. The man stalked towards her direction. He had thorns coming out of his back, a huge scar along his naked torso and another scar along his face and he was carrying a black spear. She was sure he didn’t see her, but could’ve possibly just sensed her presence. 

His blank, glowing eyes scanned her area, squinting even more. He was dangerously close and Natalia sidestepped, her back to the wall, away from her original hideout. She was moving towards another spiky boulder to hide at, when several small stones rolled a little when she stepped on them. She gasped as she saw the man showed an angry expression and aimed his spear where she was at and threw it. She threw a small pink pellet to the ground and released her smokescreen to escape, but his spear has gone through and was aiming to her stomach. She moved away quickly, but she couldn’t fully avoid it, and the spear cut through her sides deeply. She grunted in pain and blood immediately dripped from her wounds. She placed a hand there to put pressure so she wouldn’t bleed a lot as, thinking on her feet, ran towards the next boulder with a lot of shadows to conceal her presence once again. 

“Intruder!” The man yelled loudly, alerting the hordes of demons, who got his attention immediately. They ran towards him as he chased her location. She was concealed again, but the bloodstains on the rocky floor betrayed her location, so she ran. Tiny imps reached her, scratching and biting her legs, but she immediately scratched them away with her claw, bringing them down in two swipes. 

She was nearly there, near the entrance and she’s not slowing her pace, when the man stopped chasing and drew his spear back, then throwing it to her direction with incredible power. 

Natalia stepped out of the mouth of the abyss and met Tigreal’s eyes, but was also greeted with pain as the spear flew from behind her, the rotating blade cutting various chunks of her arm and leg. She screamed in agony as she could hear Tigreal screaming her name. She fell to her knees and blacked out, but not before she saw Tigreal and Harith running toward her in desperation. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was late. 

Where the _helI_ were they? 

“Granger, I’ve already asked Fanny to go look for them. Will you help me welcome Miya? It could help provide distraction,” Princess Silvanna suggested as they walked toward the entrance hall. 

“I thought our guest would arrive tomorrow?” Granger asked. 

“She arrived earlier than usual. It appears she was asked by their king to do so,” Princess Silvanna answered. 

He nodded silently, but it won’t help him being worried about Alucard and Miss Vance. He already feels something bad happened to them. Alucard was a reliable fighter, he knows he’ll keep Miss Vance safe. But when if they got outnumbered? What if they encountered a number of demons with different skills that differ from just ‘hiding’? What if-

“Granger, welcome our guest.” Princess Silvanna said calmly with a smile, and his thoughts got cut off. He looked at the lovely elf in front of him, as she carried a bag full of...scrolls? 

“You okay, Granger? You look like you’re ready to kill someone.” Miya pointed out with a worried smile and Granger shook his head. 

“Just worried,” he replied curtly. Miya smiled even more, and stepped inside the castle, giving the bag to Granger. They were surprisingly heavy; how she carried it all the way from the Elven shrines baffled him. 

“Alucard is strong. He’ll be fine.” Miya said. Granger scoffed in response.

“I don’t think it’s Alucard that he’s worried about,” the princess replied and he squinted at her, with the princess only smiling elegantly back. 

Before they could speak anymore Tigreal’s carriage was there beyond the door and Tigreal leapt off if, carrying a fainted Natalia in his arms. Immediately on alert, the three of them paced quickly towards Tigreal. 

“What happened?” Princess Silvanna said as she walked as fast as Tigreal was walking. The man was tight with nerves and he looked like he was going to snap anytime soon. The princess gasped as she looked at Natalia’s battered body and bloody wounds, covered by several pieces of clothes, possibly to stop the bleeding. She knew Tigreal was leading her to the infirmary, but those wounds didn’t look good. “Miya! We need your help, please!” 

“Yes, your Royal Highness!” The elf maiden replied as she ran after them, with Granger following them behind. Harith was there too, briefly explaining what happened to Granger. 

“Alucard and Miss Vance are not yet back either,” Granger said. Harith only gave him a confused look. “They were meant to pick Harley up, but they’re not back yet,” Granger explained further. 

Harith pondered a bit. “If she picked Harley up, that must mean they went to Bruno’s place. They’re not that far from here,” Harith said. 

“Yeah, but I think we need to help out here first. Those injuries don’t look good.” Granger replied. 

“Harith!” a voice from the entrance hall shouted and the both of them looked back. 

“Harley!” Harith and Granger stopped in their tracks as they saw Fanny and a bloody-looking Alucard carrying an unconscious Miss Vance. 

Granger felt cold fear grip him from all over when she saw her and he ran towards them. 

“Here, let me,” He offered, as Fanny and Alucard handed Lesley to him. They both looked worn out, especially Alucard. He looked at Alucard as she settles Lesley in his arms, carrying her bridal style. Alucard gingerly placed Lesley’s long hair above her chest so Granger won’t step on it. “You can explain later. Miya’s here as well. We need to go to the infirmary,” Granger said as he walked ahead.

The rest of the group followed suit. And when they got there, Miya and several nurses were working on Natalia. The nurses cleaned Natalia’s wounds, being extremely careful. Miya was reading one of the scrolls she brought as Princess Silvanna watched eagerly. Miya was speaking in Elven language while reading.

“You should put Lesley in a bed. Isn’t she heavy?” Fanny said, tapping Granger’s shoulder. 

He didn’t even realize he was still holding her. He gently placed her on the bed beside Natalia. She looked pale and hurt. Granger ground his teeth in frustration. He should’ve been with her. One of the nurses tapped his shoulder requesting access for some room so they could clean Lesley’s wounds and treat her and he reluctantly left her bedside so they could get to work. 

“The Elven king has sent us healing scrolls for these kinds of situations.” the princess whispered to Tigreal, who was silent the entire time while looking at Natalia. “Miya’s the only one who can read them though.” she added. Princess Silvanna then took notice on the rest of the group, with Lesley on the bed beside Natalia and Alucard limping towards her. “Goodness. What happened to you two?” She asked in shock as he placed her hands on Alucard’s shoulder to help him steady himself. 

“Ambushed. There was a...powerful demon, or dark elf? Not sure anymore...but she was strong. Harley scared her away,” Alucard replied. The princess was pushing him towards a bed so he could sit down. “She was unpredictable. And she has magic, I think. Lesley and I could barely move,” Alucard added. The princess hushed him and gave a small sad smile. 

“Three of our warriors got hurt in one day, but you three did amazing. Now please rest up. Have your wounds cleaned so they won’t get infected. Miya will be here to heal you guys up,” Princess Silvanna said. 

She looked at the rest then; Fanny, Harley, Harith and Granger. “Thank you for saving them,” she said, her voice full of gratitude. 

“I’m done with Natalia,” Miya said, smiling at them. “She just needs plenty of rest. Those healing scrolls only increases the body’s ability to heal, so it’s going to make them feel more tired. I’ll get to working on your lady friend and Alucard as well,” Miya added. 

“You can heal Lesley first,” Alucard said with a light tone and charming smile. 

“As chivalrous as always,” Princess Silvanna said with a smile. She then walked towards the group and gave them pats on the arms. “Alright, let’s give them time to rest now. The nurses will also be changing their clothes to clean and comfortable ones, and I doubt you’d want to see that,” She said quietly. 

“Come on Harley, you can sleep in my room for the meantime. I’ve been doing some research with magic after all and I want you to read them,” Harith said, trying to lift the mood.

Harley hummed. “Sure! But I do want to take a nap first. And probably some hot chocolate. I’m quite hungry,” Harley replied as their conversations drifted to echoes in the halls. 

“I’ll be staying with you Princess. Since Alucard can’t do so tonight,” Fanny said, talking about her guard duties. Princess Silvanna blushed a bit and chuckled a little. 

“That would be a good change of pace. Some female company is good during some of my downtime.” the princess agreed. She turned her back to Granger and Tigreal. “Also I’m serious, you two. Let’s give them some quiet time tonight.” 

Tigreal stood up in silence, his footsteps quiet despite his size and armor. Granger stood as well, reluctantly.

“Don’t worry, I’m here,” Alucard said. Granger rewarded him with a glare. 

“You said that earlier as well. You need some explaining to do,” Granger said but Princess Silvanna cleared her throat to get their attention.

“I promise I’ll explain, there’s a perfectly valid explanation to all of this,” Alucard replied, bringing his hands together as if he’s saying a prayer. Granger merely grunted to acknowledge his reply. He looked at Lesley one more time and brushed some of her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear before stepping out of the room with the princess. 

Alucard smiled to himself then. “Jeez, Granger... romantic much?” he whispered to himself. 

“Don’t worry, he’ll forgive you,” Miya said with a small smile. Alucard smiled back at her. 

“Hey there, Eflie. Been awhile. How’s it going?” Alucard said in a light tone. 

“I’ve been okay, busy here and there. Our king has made me part of his counsel ever since his return after all. He will be here to pick me up tomorrow,” Miya replied and the nurse was beside her. “Let’s have your wounds cleaned up shall we?” 

“Did you need me to strip?” Alucard asked teasingly. Miya rolled her eyes in return. 

“I don’t, but they do,” Miya replied in a flat tone. 

“Does my offer to take you out for dinner still stand with you?” Alucard asked again, with a teasing grin. 

“You really need to give it up,” Miya replied with a grin of hers as well. 

The two conversed some more, until they decided to retire for the evening. 


	7. Hushed Conversations

Lesley gasped awake and she sat up straight. She was sweating and trying to regain her breathing. Was it a nightmare? What happened? She took a look at her surroundings to see where she was. Was she back in the castle? Looking at the bed beside her, she saw a bandaged-up Natalia. She was sleeping peacefully at least. In front of her was a resting Alucard as well. She looked down at her clothes and realized they’re not her own. Someone might have changed them while she was out. Her eyepatch was out too, she realized. 

“You need more sleep,” She heard someone say in a low voice. Her head snapped toward that direction and found Granger leaning against the wall and looking at her, with his arms crossed above his chest. He walked towards her and sat on the empty chair beside her bed. She gasped silently and covered her left eye with her hand. Panicking, she made small movements of looking for her eyepatch, making it not obvious at all. 

“W-what are you doing here? And what time is it?” She asked quietly. There were people sleeping in the room after all.

“...It doesn’t matter why I’m here. We’re here at the castle’s infirmary. It’s about two in the morning. And you really need to get more rest. Miya said your body needs it after she’s used their scrolls to heal you,” Granger said gently. He reached the table to where her eyepatch is and gave it to her. “You seem uncomfortable with not wearing it. The nurses here gave you a change of clean clothes because yours were covered in blood and dirt,” Granger supplied. 

Lesley took her eyepatch gently and whispered a gentle “Thank you,” before wearing it.

Granger sighed quietly and unzipped his collar to reveal his face. Lesley noticed he looked more tired than usual, despite the room only being illuminated by the bright full moon. 

“You need to rest yourself. What are you doing, being up so late?” Lesley asked, looking at him.

“I couldn’t sleep. Thinking and all,” Granger replied with another tired sigh as he raked his hand through his hair and leaned closer to her bed, then proceeded to rest his head on the mattress. “I should’ve gone with you and Alucard…” She heard him whisper quietly. 

His voice was full of regret, Lesley realized. Lesley immediately felt guilty and lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been stronger. We were ambushed,” Lesley said and she saw Granger looking at her, part of his face hidden behind his arms that were on her mattress. 

“Ambushed? Did you see who that was?” Granger asked, still looking at her. 

Lesley bit her lower lip, thinking of what to say. His stare is making her self-conscious, as if he’s looking for something in her face. 

“Well, she looked like a dark elf, but also an abyssal demon. I don’t know what magic she did, but it was something that paralyzed Alucard and I. If it weren’t for Harley-” Lesley stopped. Harley. Oh no. Her brother!

Sensing her panic, he gave her a sincere pat on the knee. “Your brother is fine. In fact, he and Fanny brought you here. He’s staying at Harith’s room tonight. They mentioned magic research and stuff,” Granger said and Lesley calmed down immediately, giving him a gentle smile and giving his hand on her knee a gentle squeeze to thank him. He held her hand in place when he placed his thumb over her fingers, giving gentle caresses on her knuckles. She immediately froze, but didn’t budge her hand away. She swears she can feel the heat on her cheeks. 

“A-as I was saying, if it weren’t for my brother, we would’ve been goners.” Lesley said and she saw Granger’s jaw flex in silent annoyance. “I’m sorry for making you worry. I know you’re worried about Alucard and all,” Lesley added and he scoffed. 

“Alucard is stronger than what he showed today. The more he moves, the stronger he gets. His weakness is that paralysis by the enemy, so he needs to be more wary of that,” Granger looked at Alucard’s sleeping form then back at her. “I was worried for him, but not as much as I was worried for you,” he added. 

Lesley clutched her covers as she felt her cheeks flared up even more. Thankfully it was dark around. “I-I’m sorry. I’ll do better next time, so you don’t worry,” Lesley replied, with her head down.

Granger blinked and realized what he just said. What the hell was he saying? Must be the fatigue getting to him. Mentally cursing himself, he let go of her hand, stood up and prepared to leave. “You better go back to sleep, Miss Vance. We’ll see each other later,” he said and walked out of the infirmary without a glance back or another word. When Lesley heard the door close, she went back to lying down and held her warm cheeks. Worried? He was worried? I mean, he should be, right? Because they’re comrades and accomplices? They work together? It’s totally normal to be worried for your allies.

She looked at her hand that he held. It was still warm. 

Right? 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Granger woke up again. It’s the third time he woke up in a cold sweat. Seeing Lesley covered in blood and grime unsettled him this much. Taking deep breaths to calm him down he simply decided to just not sleep again. Checking his clock, it was six in the morning, so it won’t matter going back to sleep anyway because it’s time for work. As he was rummaging through his thoughts of his daily tasks for the day, his thoughts drifted to Lesley. He should go check on her today, and see how she’s feeling. 

He smiled a little to himself. Thoughts of her always made him feel strange. And a variety of them too. He couldn’t help himself when he sneaked back to the infirmary earlier when everyone was tucked in bed. He just  _ had _ to go and check up on her, make sure she’s alright. 

Alucard too, and Natalia, he guesses. 

_ He remembered looking at her lovely sleeping face; the moon being the only source of illumination in the dark room. All that hair messed around because her braid was off. Her long lashes cast shadows over her eyes. There was a little charm mole under her right eye and her eyepatch was off. Some of her hair was hiding that eye, but he could see several lines of stitches along the outside corner. He reluctantly looked away; he’d wouldn’t like it himself if someone was staring at his scarred eye too.  _

_ Sighing quietly, he leaned his back to the wall and observed the three of them. Lesley got his attention again when she started groaning, as if in pain.  _

_ ‘Was it a nightmare?’ he thought to himself.  _

_ Lesley jerked her head to the side and she clutched the sheets. He got worried and was about to walk to her, when she sat upright with a gasp. Her breathing was labored and she was sweating. It looked like she did her best to settle her breathing. Maybe a short talk would distract her...  _

_ “You need more sleep,”  _

Shaking his head out of reverie from their muted chatter earlier, he couldn’t help feeling the heat on his cheeks when he remembered he actually told her he was worried about her. Looking down, he stared at his hand, the one that was holding hers. Her hand was not soft and smooth, but she was gentle when she squeezed his hand,. They had calluses on them, even little and faint scars here and there. Her profession of being a sniper really showed even on her hands. 

“Like me,” Granger said, still looking at his calloused hands. He also had multiple scars on his hands, from his battles. In a sense, he gained some sort of admiration for her; a woman who worked hard, with her life always on the line- 

“Good morning! I can see you’re up! I’m feeling so much better! Miya really did an amazing job!” Alucard yelled happily as he busted the door open with Harith and Harley behind him. 

“Ah, Granger, you haven’t changed yet! You’ll miss breakfast if you slack off,” Harith said, as-a-matter-of-factly. 

“Woah Granger...so that’s how you look with only your boxers on! You really seem to favor black, don’t you?” Harley said, pointing it out. 

All it took was one glare from Granger to get the three of them out of his room on their own.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Ah, Miss Vance...Lesley,” Princess Silvanna said with a warm smile as Lesley entered the dining hall. The nurses gave her something else to wear because her clothes were still being cleaned; she wore a comfortable long-sleeved shirt that hung loosely on her frame and black tights. She had to tuck the shirt in so she wouldn’t look like a scarecrow. “Looking lovely today. Are you feeling better? Please take a seat with Miya and myself,” the princess said, pointing at an empty beside her and Lesley nodded respectfully. . 

Lesley smiled at the princess and the lovely elf beside her before taking a seat. “Good morning your Royal Highness, and…” 

“Miya. My name is Miya. I’m a counsel of King Estes and a shrine maiden at one of our Elven Shrines. Pleasure to be of your acquaintance, Miss Vance,” Miya said, smiling lovingly at Lesley. How she sparkled during the day amazed her. Elves are just like that, she guessed. 

“Please call me Lesley,” she replied to the elf as she reached her hand out for a handshake. Miya takes it appreciatively. Her grip was a lot firmer than Lesley thought. 

“Please have some breakfast. You must be hungry. Miya explained that your body will need nourishment after her healing last night,” Princess Silvanna said, with Miya agreeing with a nod. Lesley looked at the lavish meals laid out on the table and tried really hard not to drool. It wasn’t the first time she experienced dining with the Princess and the Chevaliers, but still- it gets her every time. She delicately got some poached eggs, two slices of bacon and several biscuits. One of the princess’s servants filled their cups with tea, and another glass with water. 

“Yes please. Natalia will need more time to recuperate, she was heavily battered last night after all,” Miya continued. 

“Don’t worry, Tigreal is there with her. The man wouldn’t even eat!” the princess exclaimed. 

“Should we bring food up to the infirmary for him, your Royal Highness?” the servant asked. The princess only shook her head. 

“Let’s give them some privacy for now. Tigreal can just get some food here when he’s hungry,” Princess SIlvanna replied. 

Then they heard some loud talking before the door opened. Alucard, Harith, Harley and Granger stepped into the dining hall. 

“Good morning, you Royal Highness,” they said in unison, bowing respectfully. Princess SIlvanna raised a hand to put them at ease. 

“Big sis!” Harley yelled happily before rushing towards Lesley to give her a big hug. “How are you feeling? No bleeding anymore?” Harley asked worriedly, 

Lesley smiled and gave Harley gentle pats on the head. “Yes, I’m feeling better now. Thank you for saving me back there, little brother. I really owe you,” Lesley replied. 

Harley gave her a huge smile and a nod. “I’ll hold on to that! I’ll go sit by Harith, okay?” Harley replied and Lesley nodded. 

The rest of the guys took their seats, Alucard beside Miya, then Harith. Granger remained standing up, as if deep in thought. Lesley was sitting at his place Harley took the seat beside Harith. 

Fanny and a tired-looking Tigreal then stepped into the dining hall. “Good morning your Royal Highness.” Fanny said, but her cheeks had a certain red hue to them. 

“Good morning, Fanny and Tigreal. Please have your seats,” Princess Silvanna said. 

Tigreal sat across from Harley and Fanny sat beside her brother. The only empty spot left for Granger was beside Lesley.

“Granger, is everything alright?” Alucard asked. They were all staring at him. He shook his head and sat between Fanny and Lesley. 

“Good morning to you Miss Vance. How are you feeling?” Granger leaned in to Lesley a bit closer. Lesley saw he looked sleepier than usual. 

She gave him a small smile. “I’m feeling much better now. You look like you could use more sleep though…” Lesley replied. 

“Granger, I’m hurt! You didn’t ask me how  _ I _ was feeling!” Alucard retorted. 

Granger scoffed in return. “I would’ve, if you guys didn’t barge into my room,” Granger replied.

They all continued their playful banter while eating breakfast. 

Meanwhile, back in the infirmary, Natalia opened her eyes, earlier than she should’ve...


	8. The Report

"Your Royal Highness,” the nurse bowed before the lot before stepping inside the dining hall. “It appears that the patient left in the infirmary has regained consciousness. She requests your immediate attention, as she has claimed she has grave news to report. If your highness won’t mind me saying though, she needs sustenance first, so I shall bring some food at the infirmary while you talk,” 

“I’ll go ahead, your Royal Highness,” Tigreal said in a low voice as he gets up. Surprisingly, he finished his food. Princess Silvanna wiped the corners of her lips, a sign of habit, before standing up. The rest were about to stand but the princess held her hand out to stop them. 

“Please, finish your meals. Tigreal and I won’t be long and I’d be more than happy to relay the message,” she calmly told the lot of them, and they all sat back down. “And yes, please do send some food for her. I’m sure a hearty breakfast would do her some good. Thank you Clarice.” She thanked the nurse, who gave her another bow. 

When the princess left the dining hall, Lesley couldn’t stop fidgeting. Grave news? What’s going on? Do they know something she doesn’t? 

“Miss Vance, I think it would be best if you just eat that slice of bacon, and just not play with your food,” Granger said quietly. She didn’t notice how close he was and was taken aback by the distance. 

“U-Uh, yeah, sorry. I’ll eat it now,” Lesley replied, and carefully ate her food. The rest did the same with uneasy silence. 

“Hey Fanny, how come you found us easily yesterday?” Alucard asked, his mouth still half full from the bacon he was eating. The ambience didn’t make him comfortable. “I thought you were going to help Tigreal out,” he added. 

Fanny took a sip of her tea before answering. “I did.But when I was there, there didn’t seem to be any issues, so I decided to look for your guys instead. Good thing I found Harley,” Fanny answered and then took a bite out of her biscuit. Harley gave them a smile, with biscuit crumbs all over the corners of his lips. Harith wiped them off with a clean napkin. 

“I think we should finish our food. I want to hear what’s going on,” Miya pointed out as she quickly finished her own cup of tea. The rest gave her a firm nod and quickly finished their meal. 

When they were done, they all went to the infirmary, where Natalia, Tigreal and Princess Silvanna were talking. 

“-must be prepared no matter what. They could consider launching their attack earlier than intended because I’ve been discovered, your Royal Highness,” Natalia was saying as she absent-mindedly picked at a grape on her plate.

Fanny walked toward the princess, who looked as pale as a sheet of paper. “What’s going on?” 

The princess snapped out of it and determination plastered on her face. She looked at Fanny and the rest of them. “The forces of the Abyss are launching a city-scale attack. We must prepare for battle at once!” 

“Your Royal Highness, if you may excuse me…” A maid bowed before intruding on the infirmary. “King Estes from the Moon Sanctuary has paid a visit.” 

“Perfect timing. Tigreal, please inform our infantries at once about this news. Alucard and Fanny, please inform our armories about the news as well. They will know what to do and I’ve always told them to prepare themselves for times like these. Harith, you are to inform our depots for the food to be prepared and harvested for our troops. Granger and Lesley, kindly continue to watch over the castle walls in search of abyssal spies.. Miya and I will attend to his Majesty. 

“Yes, your Royal Highness!” They all replied and the princess gave them all a firm nod before she and Miya left the room. 

“Shall we get to it then?” Alucard asks with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. 

All of them walked out of the infirmary in stifling silence, with the exception of Tigreal. When everyone was out, he reached out for Natalia’s hand gently and placed a gentle kiss at the back of it. 

“I was so scared of losing you,” he said, painfully hushed. Natalia smiled at him and rested her hand on his cheek, rubbing it softly. 

  
“I always knew to count on you with my life,” she replied with a heartwarming smile before giving him a gentle kiss on the lips. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Your Majesty, my sincerest apologies for not being here when you’ve arrived. I was attending to a recovering soldier.” Princess Silvanna said and bowed respectfully as the elven king, Estes, turned to face her. He gives her a warm and soft smile. 

“Princess, please, do not worry about it. I’m here on such short notice after all,” King Estes replied. Princess Silvanna reached a hand out toward the lush couch, asking him to take his seat. He did so, and she sat in front of him. Miya stood beside her king, quiet and observing. 

“May I offer you some tea, your Majesty?” Princess Silvanna asks. King Estes gave her a single nod. 

“This tea you speak of is such a meditative drink. I thoroughly enjoyed partaking it when you brought me several bags of them last time,” Estes remarked. Miya’s mouth crooked at the corner for a bit, but she immediately composed herself.

Princess Silvanna immediately asked one of the maids to prepare some tea and biscuits for them. “Your Majesty, you’ve already helped us so much, but I fear I received news from one of my spies that the forces of the abyss are preparing to attack our land.” She said and King Estes hummed contemplatively. 

“This must have been the uneasy feeling I’ve been receiving these past few nights. The forces of the Abyss are after our demise as well after all. We need to help each other again, Princess,” King Estes replied and Silvanna nodded. 

The maid then arrived and placed their snacks at the table. Estes immediately took his tea and sniffed it, closing his eyes at the pleasing aroma. “I shall also prepare for the war. I’ll participate in it. I’ll have to ask aides for their assistance of the cause. Miya’s sisters in the temples would have to stay though, as we’ll need to protect them.” 

“Please, your Majesty. I would feel more relieved if you have forces around your borders as well. The enemies might be thinking of going on a roundabout turn, attacking your land from the back and going towards our own borders.” the princess said, absentmindedly fiddling with a biscuit. 

“Do not fear, Princess. Belerick and Irithel will most likely lend us their strength.” King Estes replied before sipping his tea. 

“Nana could be of great help too,” the princess replied. Miya nodded at her with a smile. 

“Oh, we don’t need to worry about that. She’s more than excited to help Harith out after all,” was all Miya said with confidence. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Nope, there’s nothing here,” Lesley said as she leaps down from the low-leveled rooftop of a shop. Granger hummed quietly in response. He’s been like that ever since they got out of the castle and off to do rounds. “Let’s go to the pier and have a short break. It’s lunch time anyway, so we should grab something to eat,” Lesley added. Granger didn’t say anything but he followed her anyway. 

They grabbed some sandwiches so they could eat while walking. Lesley was again able to look at Granger’s whole face, mainly because he got too annoyed he couldn’t eat properly. 

When they reached the pier, several ships were there and sailors were busy loading and unloading their own cargo. Lesley sat on a nearby bench and just watched the sea to relax.

Again, it was this sight that made him catch his breath, her long hair being swept away by the gentle breeze as she nibbled on a perfectly normal sandwich. Granger continued looking at her, his worries about her safety almost vanishing. It all came back when a man approached them from behind. 

“Now I don’t always stop and stare, but fair lady, you just made me do so,” a male voice said with a cheerful, flirtatious tone, followed by small chatter of a monkey. 

When Lesley turned, she nearly spat out the food she was chewing on. The man was taken aback as well, when she faced him. 

“L-Lesley?!” 

“Claude?!” they both exclaimed. 

Couldn’t stop a smirk, Granger then knew he had nothing to worry about. Judging by their reactions, it obviously meant they already knew each other. And the look of Lesley’s face fuming with rage, her settling her food on the bench and grabbing her rifle, and the man- Claude, (and his monkey) holding up their hands as if trying to protect themselves from her seems convincing enough that Lesley didn’t like him at all. 

“What are you doing here? And you better give me a good answer this time!” Lesley said, with an angry voice while she aimed her rifle directly at Claude. 

“Woah, woah, okay, Lesley, sweetie, just calm down, please, I can give you a good answer, I promise,” Claude stammers out, with a shaky voice and a really weak convincing smile. “I’m here to return a favor for an elf friend of mine, okay?” 

“Which elf? What favor?” Lesley replied curtly, her rifle still steady on Claude. 

“King Estes. The guy saved me and I mentioned he can call me anytime he wants in return when he’s in need of my...assistance." 

“What could you possibly steal from here?!” Lesley shouted angrily, stepping closer to Claude, whereas he stepped backwards. 

“Oh, Lesley, come on! I may be a thief but that’s not all me! I swear I’m here on an errand!” Claude pleaded and Granger had enough fun watching this man suffer. 

Granger walked towards Lesley and gently nudged her rifle downwards. He swears he could see Lesley had invisible daggers coming from just one eye looking at him like that. He leaned close to her, and whispered,

“Maybe he does have an errand. And don’t worry. We can handle him if he does something suspicious.” 

“You don’t know him like I do. You can’t trust him,” Lesley whispered back, angrily. 

“We don’t have to trust him. Let’s just survey him for a bit alright?” 

With a huff, Lesley completely lowered her rifle and Claude and his monkey visibly relaxed. Regaining his composure, he offered a hand to Granger. “Thanks, mate. Name’s Claude, by the way. And you are?” 

Granger merely hummed a response. Friendly as he may appear, Claude still seems sketchy. He turned and went back to sitting down and eating his sandwich. 

“Snobby much…” He heard Claude grumble under his breath. 

“Don’t try anything funny, Claude,” Lesley says with a serious tone. 

For a brief moment, Claude and Lesley’s stare lingered to each other and Claude showed a wistful smile.

“That color of wine suits you better. Not the blonde that I fell in love with,” Claude said and Granger almost choked on a lettuce. 

Wait, what?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, man it's been awhile since I last updated lmao. I've been busy here and there and the COVID19 pandemic has been wild. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'll do my best to go back to updating regularly :) 
> 
> Keep safe and as usual, feedback is highly appreciated.


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